Designers

The ultimate jewelry care & cleaning guide!

Just like the loving commitment your jewelry represents, it needs to be cared for regularly. With the proper care, your jewelry will last for now & forever. Here's some recommendations from our diamond experts on how to clean jewelry!

Neglecting to clean or maintain things like engagement rings or wedding rings could result in discolored metals, scratches and even lost diamonds! Avoiding damage and keeping your jewelry shining like new, is easy – here’s how!

Protect & Prevent! Jewelry & Watch Storage

A diamond is the hardest material known to man, making it extremely scratch resistant. However, diamonds will scratch other diamonds, gems, and metals if allowed to rub together! The latest jewelry organizers allow you to sort pieces by color or style, and they keep particularly valuable items safe and clean with compartments of many different shapes and sizes.

Keeping dependable jewelry boxes in your closet or atop your dresser is the best way to organize everything from necklaces and earrings to rings and bracelets. It’s best to regularly clean out your jewelry box to check your jewelry for damage.

Now, if you want to preserve the quality and value of your designer watches, it's important to store them in a safe, dry place such as a watch box.

Take a look here for a selection of watch boxes and storage solutions to keep the shape of your watch bands in optimal condition, when not in use.

At Home Jewelry Cleaning Tips

While each precious gemstone is slightly different, using warm, soapy water is the universal way to clean gemstones. You can find more information on each stone at our Birthstone Education page. Anything from doing the dishes to putting sunscreen or lotions on your hands can cause dirt and soot to accumulate on your jewelry, making it appear dull.

Using A Diamond Cloth

A diamond sparkles by reflecting light. If a diamond is dirty with even just a finger smudge, light will be unable to pass thru and the diamond will not scintillate.

Use a lint-free diamond cloth to quickly remove smudges and skin oils.

Place the diamond inside the cloth and rub it firmly.

Be sure to never touch the inside of the cloth because this will only add unwanted skin oils to your cleaning cloth.

How To Make A Jewelry Cleaning Solution

You may want to purchase an inexpensive jar of jewelry cleaning solution from any Rogers & Hollands or Ashcroft & Oak store location, or you can make your own!

To make your own at-home jewelry cleaner, to maintain the shine of diamond and gold jewelry, just follow these steps:

Mix 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup warm water

Add 1/2 teaspoon of ammonia based household cleaner (like a glass cleaner such as Windex)

Soak your jewelry in the solution for about 5 mintues & then gently scrub with a soft-toothbrush

Air dry or carefully towel-dry with paper towel or regular cloth.

Watch it sparkle & fire in the sunshine!

(Important: Do not use chlorine or rubbing alcohol on jewelry.)

PRO TIPS!

For hard to reach places, try using a toothpick or unwaxed dental floss.

You might also consider purchasing a diamond polisher, usually in a cream, to polish your diamonds to a high sparkle.

How To Clean Pearls

The care and cleaning of pearl jewelry is much different from other gemstone & diamond jewelry. In fact, when storing pearls, it's important to keep them in a slightly damp cloth so they don’t dry out.

Our jewelry professionals recommend to restring pearl strand necklaces or pearl bracelets every 3 to 5 years because the silk that holds them together will likely get dirty and cannot be cleaned to their original state.

Plus, did you know that wearing your pearls frequently allows for your body’s natural oils to maintain the pearls’ beauty? It's true! A pearls’ luster improves when worn next to the skin as the oils of the wearer them keep them moisturized.

PRO TIPS!

Protect your pearls by putting them on after applying cosmetics, lotions, perfume and hairspray.

Do not test the genuineness of a pearl by biting it with your teeth.

Never store pearls in a hanging position as it can stretch and damage the silk.

How To Polish Silver Jewelry

When your favorite earrings start giving off that strange smell or your signature necklace looks tarnished, you’ll want to know how to clean sterling silver jewelry without ruining it. Fortunately, it’s easy to do. You can return shine to your silver jewelry by soaking it in 1/2 cup white vinegar mixed with 2 tablespoons of baking soda for two to three hours. Then rinse under cold water, and dry thoroughly.

Get Expert Help! Professional Jewelry Cleaning Care

We recommend a professional jewelry cleaning of your most valuable and most worn items at least once every six months.

Ultrasonic Cleaners The most effective way to clean your jewelry is with an ultrasonic cleaner. Curious to know how ultrasonic jewelry cleaners work? Ultrasonic cleaners send high frequency sound waves through a detergent solution dissolving oil and removing dirt from the entire piece, including those hard to reach places for an impeccable clean!

Plus, don't forget that when purchasing jewelry at Rogers & Hollands or Ashcroft & Oak Jewelers, you'll receive FREE lifetime professional jewelry cleanings on the item whenever you like, and at any store with our WE WILL Jewelry Guarantee!

PRO TIP! When in doubt with a colored stone, consult with one of our in-store diamond & gemstone jewelry experts to find out the best method of cleaning that will not negatively affect the shade or appearance of the stone.